Ingredients
Preparation
- In a heavy sauce pan add the butter, onions, garlic, thyme and spices until soft but do not colour. Add the leeks and three quarters of the pumpkin. Pour over the stock and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Place a separate saucepan on a high heat and add the mussels. Pour over the wine and cover, allowing the mussels to open and then immediately drain but retain the juices. Repeat this with the cockles. Once cool remove half of the mussels and cockles from their shells and retain the other ones still within their shells.
- Salt the cod liberally and allow to brine for 12 minutes, wash the salt off and place onto a tray. Put into the oven at 130 degrees for 8 minutes until the cod just flakes apart, do not overcook as it will be heated again in the chowder.
- In a saucepan blanch the remaining pumpkin dice and set aside.
- Once the pumpkin in the soup has become soft, blend the mixture until smooth and pass through a sieve. Soup may now be let down with the mussel/cockle juice to your desired consistency and strength of flavour. To serve, reheat the soup adding the dice of pumpkin and the shelled mussels and cockles, season to taste. Add the remaining in-shell mussels and clams to your serving bowl and top with the cod, chopped spring onion and chives. Pour over the warm chowder and serve.